Piston-groove cleaner



Mandi 11 1924.- 1,486,806

I V A. SHEPARD PISTON GROOVE CLEANER Filed May 7 1920 INVENTOR. WZZf/eo 6'65 Patented Mar. ll, W2 1i.

ARVINE SHEPARD, OF DUIl'CAN, OKLAHOMA.

PISTON-GROOVE CLEANER.

Application filed May 7,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARVINE SHEPARD, a citizen of the United States, residin at Duncan, in thecounty of Stephens and btate of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piston-Groove Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

The packing ring grooves of internal combustion engine pistons require cleaning to remove carbon, soot and other accumulations which tend to foul them. This generally necessitates the removal of the packing rings which consumes time and frequently results in the breaking of the packing.

The present invention provides a tool whereby the work may be easily, quickly and effectively performed without necessitating the removal of the packing from the grooves provided the rings are of the ordinary split type, since the bit may be introduced into the piston grooves between the ends of the ring bordering upon the split.

The drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it is to be understood that in adapting the same to meet different conditions, various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

In the drawing herewith attached,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a tool embodying the invention, showing the same applied to a piston, the latter being illustrated in end elevation, parts of the piston and tool being broken away,

Fig. 2 is a side view of the tool, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in the several views of the drawing by like reference characters.

The body of the tool comprises a band 1 and handles 2. These parts constitute portions of a strip of metal of suitable length bent into the form substantially shown. The part 1 of the tool body is provided with one or more bits 3 which are of a size to snugly fit the piston groove 4; to be cleaned. As shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 3, the bit comprises a threaded shank which passes through an opening formed in the part 1 and receives a nut 5 by means of which the bit is secured to the body. In constructing 1920. Serial No. 379,580.

the tool a strip of spring metal such as steel of suitable length is provided and the same is doubled upon itself and formed into circular outline to provide the band 1 which is of a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the piston for which the tool is constructed. The end portions of the strip project in the same direction and constitute the handles. While it is contemplated to apply a number of bits to the part 1 of the tool, nevertheless the part 1 may be supplied with a single bit thereby enabling the tool to be effectively used without necessitating removal of the piston ring from the groove of the piston. When it is desired to use the tool without removing the ring from the groove, the tool is applied so that the bit 3 passes through the split of the piston ring. After the tool has been adjusted, the handles 2 are grasped and the tool rotated to cause the bit to pass completely around the groove thereby clearing the same of all carbon and other matter tending to foul the same. When the tool. is used and the piston ring is re moved from its groove the part 1 may be provided with any number of hits, the tool being adjusted so that the bits enter the piston groove. In this case it is not necessary to completely rotate the tool because the bits will tend to have an overlapping action.

I claim 1. A piston groove cleaning tool comprising a resilient, curved scraper carrying member adapted to partly encompass a piston, a scraper mounted on said carrying member and normally urged inwardly by the resiliency thereof, and the ends of said member being spaced apart and extended to form operating handles.

2. A ring groove cleaning tool comprising an expansible ring adapted to partly encompass a piston and an inwardly extending rectangular scraper on said ring, said scraper having three scraping edges adapted to contact with the bottom and side walls of the groove with the corners of the scraper extending into the corners of the groove, and manual means for compressing the expansible ring so as to hold the scraper within the ring groove.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARVINE SHEPARD. Witnesses D. A. FOWLER, E. N. MARTEX. 

